I hear thy words, I feel thy pain; Forbear awhile to speak thy woes; Receive our aid, and then again The story of thy life disclose. For, though seduced and led astray, Thou'st travell'd far and wander'd long; Thy God hath seen thee all the way, And all the turns that led thee wrong. PART II. Quondam ridentes oculi, nunc fonte perenni Deplorant poenas nocte dieque suas. CORNEILLE. --------------- MAGISTRATE. Come, now again thy woes impart, Tell all thy sorrows, all thy sin; We cannot heal the throbbing heart Till we discern the wounds within. Compunction weeps our guilt away, The sinner's safety is his pain; Such pangs for our offences pay, And these severer griefs are gain. VAGRANT. The son came back--he found us wed, Then dreadful was the oath he swore; His way through Blackburn Forest led, - His father we beheld no more. Of all our daring clan not one Would on the doubtful subject dwell; For all esteem'd the injured son, And fear'd the tale which he could tell. But I had mightier cause for fear, For slow and mournful round my bed I saw a dreadful form appear, - It came when I and Aaron wed. Yes! we were wed, I know my crime, - We slept beneath the elmin tree; But I was grieving all the time, And Aaron frown'd my tears to see. For he not yet had felt the pain That rankles in a wounded breast; He waked to sin, then slept again, Forsook his God, yet took his rest. But I was forced to feign delight, And joy in mirth and music sought, - And mem'ry now recalls the night, With such surprise and horror fraught, That reason felt a moment's flight, And left a mind to madness wrought. When waking, on my heaving breast I felt a hand as cold as death: A sudden fear my voice suppress'd, A chilling terror stopp'd my breath. I seem'd--no words can utter how! For there my father-husband stood, And thus he said: --"Will God allow, The great Avenger just and Good, A wife to break her marriage vow? A son to shed his father's blood?" I trembled at the dismal sounds, But vainly strove a word to say; So, pointing to his bleeding wounds, The threat'ning spectre stalk'd away. I brought a lovely daughter forth, His father's child, in Aaron's bed; He took her from me in his wrath, "Where is my child?"--"Thy child is dead." 'Twas false--we wander'd far and wide, Through town and country, field and fen, Till Aaron, fighting, fell and died, And I became a wife again. I then was young: --my husband sold My fancied charms for wicked price; He gave me oft for sinful gold, The slave, but not the friend of vice: - Behold me, Heaven! my pains behold, And let them for my sins suffice. The wretch who lent me thus for gain, Despised me when my youth was fled; Then came disease, and brought me pain: - Come, Death, and bear me to the dead! For though I grieve, my grief is vain, And fruitless all the tears I shed.